do-little
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of do-little
First recorded in 1580–90; do 1 ( def. ) + little ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For many years, postal reform was the poster child of a do-little Congress.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 21, 2016
When he ran for reëlection, in 2014, the Los Angeles Times editorial board preceded its endorsement of him by calling the position a “notoriously do-little job.”
From The New Yorker ● Feb. 12, 2015
The dignified, do-little Council of Europe is the unofficial talking box of Europe's elder statesmen and orators.
From Time Magazine Archive
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The rapid-fire week made a sharp contrast with the leisurely previous pace of Nixon's Administration, which has often brought accusations that his is a do-little presidency.
From Time Magazine Archive
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Na, na,' quo' I, depend upon't the lard's been imposed upon wi that wily do-little deevil, Johnnie Howie.'
From The Antiquary — Volume 01 by Sir Walter Scott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.